The Sundays seems to be busiest day of the mission. On this Sunday, we had different events in the life of the church. It was Divine Mercy Sunday; it was also the beatification of John Paul II, this Sunday is also called White Sunday. Since this was first of month of May, it is the feast of st. Joseph, the patron of workers. In the diocese we were also blessed the Alter of Cathedral. This is also commemorating the Episcopal Ordination of the previous Bishop of the Diocese.
I am surprised about the life of the Catholics here in South Africa. Very few of them who come to the church on regular basis. This was announced early in the church that on this Sunday we will be blessing the alter of the Cathedral. But there were only a few people in the church, anyway less than 75 or something like that. The Bishop did it very well. He was explaining each part, and telling to the people what does it meant. It was short and fine. After the Blessing ceremony I and the cathedral parish priest left the Alter. We came to the room and there were some children already in the house, waiting for the father to come. We prepared breakfast and we were ready to go to the next church for the Eucharistic celebration.
Its Uganda Martyr’s church. Since it was workers day, on the way we could see hundreds of people gathered in the De Aar stadium. We come and prepare everything for the Eucharist and then slowly the people are coming to the church. There were two couples ready for the reception of the Sacrament of marriage. One of them already have one child and the others are married and now they are just coming to church for marriage. So one of them I blessed. This is the first couple in Africa whom I bless in Marriage. It was a good celebration with people. What I notice here is that when Eucharist is celebrated in Xhosa (Local language of South Africa). It is like any other celebration. They shout and yell and sing so loudly. Many of them are dancing during the Eucharistic Celebration. I don’t find any ‘Pious /holy feeling during the celebration.
After the Eucharistic celebration, people were wishing the priest, because our cathedral priest is from Zambia and he was going for holidays. He will be back only on the first of next month. Some of them were giving him some gifts and so on. Yes, we leave that place just around 12.
The problem is that we have to go more 50 kilometers to next parish to celebrate the Eucharist. There the Eucharist normally begins at 12. So we were flying in the car to reach there. On the way, father sends a sms to a man telling that we will be late. But as we come to the church, we come to know that, that person is not in the church. Yes, there are some people in the church. I celebrated the Eucharist in English. This parish-Philips Town has a permanent deacon, so in the absence of the priest he does things in the church. So as we leave the parish, I feel that, it would be good if I drive. So I took the car. I feel that I did it not that badly. We reached home safely!
On the way we got message that sisters had prepared lunch for us. So we go there and sit for lunch, yes, when everything was ready, it was also already 3.30 in the noon. I was not feeling to eat, because that whole house was smelling fish. Since they had cut fish in the house, the whole house was smelling. So for the name sake I ate a bit.
As I came home, I just open the computer and see the mails and then a look at the Face book. Then to evening walk. By 7 I was ready in the house.
Because the cathedral parish priest was going to Johannesburg by bus. He had a train ticket, but when he gave his dress for washing, the ticket was in the pocket and she washed it too. He went back to train station, but then they would not reprint the ticket for him. So he took a bus to Johannesburg. In order to get into the bus, he had to go Bridge town, somewhat 50 kilometers from the house. The sisters were also coming with us and we left the house at 8. The bus was little late than the scheduled time. I came back home around 11.30. I think the day was hectic. But every drop of it I enjoyed.
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